Body restraining device for coupling with chairs,beds and the like



Oct. 27, 1970 c. E. MURCOTT 3,536,357

BODY RESTRAINING DEVICE FOR COUPLING WITH CHAIRS, BEDS AND THE LIKE Filed June 27, 1968 INVENTOR. CHARLES E. Ml/RCOTT BY ATTORNEY Unitcd States Patent 3,536,357 BODY RESTRAINING DEVICE FOR COUPLING WITH CHAIRS, BEDS AND THE LIKE Charles E. Murcott, Huntington, N.Y., assignor to Lumex, Inc., Bay Shore, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 27, 1968, Ser. No. 740,548 Int. Cl. A62b 35/00 US. Cl. 297-384 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A restraining device incorporating a body band, with a pair of elongated straps fixed to and extending from ends of the body band where one strap passes outwardly through an aperture formed in the body band and the other strap passes through and engages a fabric loop fixed to the outer surface of the body band, the straps being used for coupling with rails or other supports of a chair, a bed or the like in support of a patient arranged on the chair, bed or the like against accidental displacement or movement, while permitting a degree of turning movement of the body on the support engaged by the patient.

In use, the device is preferably made in small, medium and large sizes to provide support for various size patients, keeping in mind children and, by virtue of the simplicity and manner of construction, the device is readily washable and autoclavable, facilitating unlimited uses on different patients, so as to maintain sanitary conditions of the device. The entire device is composed of fabric material.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the device in support of the body of a patient upon a chair.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the device assuming a position supporting the body of a patient upon a bed or other horizontal support; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the device detached, with parts of the construction broken away and in section.

Considering FIG. 3 of the drawing, the device comprises a relatively wide body band 10, having contracted ends 11, 1'1. Secured centrally to the outer surface of the band is one strap 12, which extends from a slit or aperture 13 formed in the band 10 to the contracted end '1. The end of the strap is fixed by stitching, as diagrammatically seen at 14. The stitching of 12 to the band 10 is indicated by the stitching lines 15. The other strap 16 is stitched, as seen at 17, to the bands at the other side of the aperture 13, as diagrammatically seen, and the strap 16 is stitched to the band 10 by stitchings, as at 18, which extend to the contracted end 11' of the band.

Beyond the ends 11, 11" of the band, the straps 12 and 16 extend freely and are of suflicient length to provide couplings with a chair or a bed, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and these strap ends may be referred to as tie end portions 12", 16, as in FIG. 3, and also in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. It will appear, from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the strap 12 passes outwardly through the aperture 13 and that the strap 16 is coupled with a fabric loop 19 secured to and projecting from the outer surface of the band 10, the loop '19 being reinforced by the part of the strap 12 secured to the band, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing and shown, in section, in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the straps are illustrated substantially in their operative position and it will be understood that the illustration of the device in FIG. 1, in support of a patient upon a chair 20, is simply a diagrammatic showing and, normally, both the loop 19 and the aperture 13 might not appear but, in some instances, depending upon the size of the patient, these two structural features could appear at the sides of the patient.

In the diagrammatic showing of FIG. 2, 21 illustrates the top of a bed and at .22 are shown two side rails or frames, with which the strap end portions 12', 16' are coupled. In the showing in FIG. 1, the strap ends simply pass around the side uprights 2.3 of the chair back and the strap ends 12, 16' would be tied together at the back of the chair.

It will be apparent that the straps 12, 16 have a degree of movement in the aperture 13 and loop .19, facilitating a degree of turning movement of the body of the patient, while still maintaining the patient against displacement. The use upon the chair is to retain a patient from falling or slipping; whereas, the use upon the bed is to retain a patient against displacement from the bed or other support.

The spacing of the aperture and loop on the band is such as to dispose the same preferably at the rear sides of the body of the wearer when the device is in support use of a person. This would be part of the size control of the device. Further, the body band is wider than the straps and said aperture and loop serve to maintain the straps substantially in alinement with the longitudinal central portion of the band, when arranged upon the body of the wearer.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for body support of a person upon a bed, a chair or the like, said device comprising:

a body band having an aperture intermediate the ends of said band,

said band having a loop means fixed to the outer surface thereof,

a first elongated strap fixed at a first end to said band on a first side of said aperture, a second end of said first strap passing through a loop means around the outer surface of said band and then inwardly between the ends of said band and then outwardly through said aperture leaving a long tie end portion,

a second elongated strap fixed at a first end to said band on the second side of said aperture, the second end of said second strap passing around the outer surface of said band and then around the outer surface of said first strap and through said loop means leaving a long tie end portion, and

said long tie portions engaging parts of said bed or the like to retain said person against displacement from said bed or the like upon which said person is arranged.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said body band is sufficiently elongated to encircle a substantial part of the body of said person.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the spacing of said aperture with respect to said loop means on said body band is such as to dispose said aperture and loop means at said rear side portions of said person in the use of the device.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said body band is wider than said straps, and said aperture and said loop means operate to maintain said straps substantially in alinement with the longitudinal central portion of said band.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein all components of the device are formed of fibrous material, facilitating Wash and autoclave treatment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,932 9/1925 Carver 27-385 X 2,613,865 10/ 1952 Rose 297-385 X 2,834,525 5/1958 Shawgo 297385 X 2,998,008 8/1961 Klesa 297-384X 3,136,581 6/1964 Calballero 297384 FOREIGN PATENTS 974,117 11/1964 Great Britain.

JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5336 

